Independent on Sunday 890 by Quixote – Record-Breaker
Well, just a personal record. I’ve done the great majority of the Indy cryptics since the paper first appeared in 1986 and this was my fastest solve ever. Last year I broke my … Read more >>
Guardian 24019/Araucaria – no Brer Rabbit?
Solving time approx. 20 minutes. Araucaria again. I got him last week too, on the Wednesday. What have I done to deserve this? Actually most of it wasn’t too bad today, although I … Read more >>
Independent 6362/Nestor – You won’t be 19A-ed
This seemed slightly easier than Nestor’s previous puzzles but no less brilliant. Practically every clue reads perfectly and the construction of the wordplay is absolutely spot-on throughout. There’s a couple that I didn’t … Read more >>
Guardian 24,018, Paul: Came unstuck, mea culpa
Oh dear, it had to happen. Did the crossword, pottered around the house all morning while someone fixed the broken drain that’s been causing a stink in my house, checked the site a … Read more >>
Independent 6361/Dac — Fireworks!
Lots of fire and explosions today. The usual quality from Dac but with one clue leaving me perplexed as to its definition. Across 1 AXING — A+XI+N.G. — team is often XI, as … Read more >>
Independent 6360 by Virgilius – Anatomy lesson
Another tour de force from Virgilius. Each row containing a part of the body in approximately correct order from the head to the feet. Despite this constraint, the remainder of the grid contains normal … Read more >>
Guardian 24017/Brendan – symmetrical anagrams
Solving time: 20’ Rather fast for me for a Brendan. Though I didn’t get all the wordplays while solving and had to rely on definitions. There are a couple of themelets here (war … Read more >>
Independent 6359 / Math
Completion Time: 11 minutes (including 3 minutes working out 10 across) Oh dear. I have thought about this long and hard, went away, downed copious coffees and medication, and came back but I … Read more >>
Guardian 24,016/Rufus – poor CD quality
Ah Rufus! You either love him or hate him! I counted 11 cryptic definitions/double meaning type clues in this puzzle. I think one of my fellow bloggers commented a couple of weeks ago … Read more >>
Azed 1813
This review is brought to you by linxit and colinblackburn. linxit writes… After a good run of completed Azeds earlier in the year I’ve gone through a bit of a bad patch lately, … Read more >>
Everyman 3152/Feb 25 – Pee on the IRS?
I’m sure the 8th row of unches reading PEE (on the) IRS is unrelated to the fact that I’m in the middle of trying to do my taxes for 2006. Right? Across 4 … Read more >>
Guardian Genius 44/Paul – O bald man!
I’ve not done these before but the Genius series is monthly series in the online (only) Guardian that offers a preambled themed puzzle which doesn’t require frequent round-trips to Chambers. Yet. This month’s … Read more >>
Independent 6352 / Bannsider – More Ashes!
A prize crossword and I found it trickier than a weekday with some fairly current references and well hidden definitions. As far as I can see, which is not always far in such … Read more >>
Guardian 24,009/Paul (Sat 24th Feb) – Enigmatic Variations
Solving time: 20:15 I was pretty slow to spot the thematic bits, which were many and crucial, so I’m not too disappointed with the time. In fact I’m pleased just to have completed … Read more >>
Guardian 24,014, Chifonie: Chiming a chord
A pretty straightforward puzzle, with no obscure German towns or archaic words and only one two fairly minor quibbles for me. A couple of the anagrams give themselves away rather too cheaply, but Chifonie makes … Read more >>